Naomi Ackerman is the human embodiment of “the feminine writer urges to go absolutely insane for your art” meme. Naomi is well aware of the self-destruction behavior she is participating in by stalking her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. But her writing comes first before anything else. Her actions at times are somewhat relatable and also extremely unhinged at times. It was very interesting figuring out her true motives behind what she does. Getting into her psyche was heavy and unapologetic. I can't help but feel for her especially when it came to the strong second-hand embarrassment I got when she's put herself in a hole, she has to crawl her way out of. I was hoping for a little bit more at the end. But I feel like the way it ended was the point. Not to get to spoilery but, the ending was the repercussions she deserved.

I was extremely excited to receive a copy of A Novel Obsession and it did not disappoint! I love reading books set in the literary world and I love thrillers so I feel like this novel really combined two of my favorite things into one. This author wrote it as a character study, which made the thriller aspect a bit slower but it also helped you really get into the mind and understand their thought process. It kind of reminded me of the novel and Netflix series You. I would love to see this one picked up as a series as well because I feel like there is so much that could be brought to life on screen. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Although I did see the twist coming it was still a enjoyable read. It was a somewhat dark and humorous exploration of self-reclamation. I actually loved the meta experience of reading a book about writing a book (think Googlebox for books). Naomi is a hard-to-like protagonist... you want to tell her ‘stop’ but also ‘go ahead’ because you are intrigued to see what happens next. She is a mess but I’m here for it.

Highly recommend for fans of You and intense character studies. The ending was a bit anti-climatic for me but it was still entertaining, messy and had enough suspense to keep you obsessing.

An anxiety-fueled and engaging debut novel on unhinged obsession taking place in the literary world. Our protagonist Naomi is a twenty-four year old bookseller and an aspiring writer who begins to stalk and then befriends her boyfriend Caleb's ex-girlfriend Rosemary as the subject of her inspiration to her story. As her relationship with Rosemary deepens, Naomi's life begins to spiral out of control in the entanglement in her web of lies.

From the moment I delved into the story, a sense of foreboding permeated the air. Caitlin Barasch crafted an incisive character study, multilayered and complex borderlining between appalling and empathy. The extreme spectrum of her obsession was cringe-worthy but her insecurities in some aspects were relatable. Naomi is flawed and anything close to a hero. It mirrors the reality of human beings. The messy imperfection of our lives is reflected through Naomi and myself as a reader is conflicted with the empathy kicking in at times. The most impressive feat about this novel? The focus of the story is on the two female characters: Naomi and Rosemary. It is about their dynamics and their own emotional struggles each is experiencing. In perfect pacing I was engrossed and invested in this story until the end. An examination on obsession, insecurity and privacy but essentially an ode to storytelling. An exploration on how we narrate our stories and the power it holds over us.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“My boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, has the same thickness to her eyebrows as I do. The same wavy auburn hair and pear-shaped hips.”

Is this You but for the girlies?

If you feel like Guinevere Beck was done a disservice, this is your book. What if Beck was just as much of a psycho stalker as Joe? What kind of story would that be?

Our unhinged protagonist has found love for the first time, and with everything going right, she begins her first novel. Which is about her clueless boyfriend’s ex, who she feels a mix of awe, terror, dread, and admiration for. Rosemary is everything that Naomi wishes she was, and she got there herself.

We follow Naomi through the streets of New York, coffee shops, concerts, and rock climbing gyms, as she stalks and studies Rosemary Reid.

Surely, you know the feeling of secondhand embarrassment, this novel will haunt you with secondhand dread. Why are you doing this, Naomi? Are you aware that you’re a nut bag? But I can’t stop reading, consuming, witnessing.

This is a stunning and breath-taking debut and the author has put themselves on my always read list.

This isn’t a thriller, but it reads like one. Anticipation for the eventual ending is like a drug.

“I spent the whole summer with no knowledge of her. She came in with the cold.”

"Only when I reveal my worst self and am forgiven for it, will I be certain I am loved."

This book stressed me the hell out. I loved it.

A Novel Obsession centers around a woman who gets pulled in a little too deep while doing field research for her novel, to put it lightly. She starts by observing her boyfriend's ex girlfriend, moving to some light stalking, evolving into a friendship under false pretenses.

Truthfully, I put A Novel Obsession down between every chapter, because while reading it my heart would race so hard my watch would start tracking a workout 😂 I can't remember the last time I wanted a main character to succeed and fail simultaneously so badly. It was just so easy to immerse myself into the story, but I was thoroughly unnerved by almost every scene. I got big Joe Goldberg vibes, but Naomi also held her own as a distinct character unlike any I've read before. This woman was so badly in need of therapy, and I was along for the ride enjoying the chaos.

I want to thank NetGalley and Dutton publishing sincerely for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book! *This review along with a photo has been published under the handle @literary.erica as of 03/15/2022. It has already been published to Goodreads

"Compulsively readable" is a bit of a cliche, but it perfectly describes A Novel Obsession. I couldn't look away - rather like a trainwreck - literally reading it into the wee hours, falling asleep only to wake up and instantly start reading again. A sharp, clever, deeply uncomfortable, and slyly dramatic exploration of literature, relationships, and truth vs. fiction. A compelling read for anyone, but a must for anyone who's ever spent too much time discussing the Bad Art Friend article or Cat Person.

Content warnings: Sexual assault, rape, death of cancer, infertility.


Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I struggled a bit to get into this book, and the middle dragged a little for me, but the second half was enthralling. I read the second half in one night. It was thrilling, dramatic, and I had to know what happened next. However, the ending felt a little anticlimactic and unfinished to me. I had a few unanswered questions. That may have been the point though. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would recommend it! I have a feeling I’ll be thinking about this one a while…

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Only when I reveal my worst self, and am forgiven for it will I be certain I am loved”

This book was gripping and if you liked Joe Goldberg in “You” this is a book you definitely want to read. The book follows Naomi, a twenty something struggling writer with some pretty serious writer's block. She begins stalking her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend for novel inspiration. While there is so much wrong with that I was able to understand her and in moments empathize with her. Naomi portrays what so many struggle with in wanting her deepest, darkest parts to be loved and her vulnerability was very relatable. I found myself rooting for her in moments and in others being completely baffled and needing majorly to know how it all ended. This book is to be released March 15th and I would definitely recommend grabbing a copy.

4 stars

Thank you for the ARC of this book that definitely lived up to its name.

Naomi is both self aware and insecure. I absolutely loved her as the protagonist and the writing style makes you completely understand everything she does. This book is definitely darker (many TWs) than the synopsis leads you to believe, but I was hooked from the start.

You watch Naomi as she does what any writer should do-- follows the story she wants to write. This leads her to becoming absolutely obsessed with her boyfriend's ex.

The story felt realistic; however, the ending was slightly rushed.

Naomi feels adrift in her high performing family. She's a bookseller by day and a writer by night but she just cant find a topic to write about. Until her boyfriend Caleb mentions his ex-girlfriend Rosemary emailed him out of the blue. Naomi decides to befriend Rosemary under false pretenses without telling Caleb.

Throughout the book, Naomi finds her muse in her relationship with Rosemary. But she finds out more than she can handle and she slowly begins to unravel.

This is easily a novel you'll become obsessed with!
Barasch knows how to get into your head, even as we are inserted into the mind of the main character.

If you enjoy novels that feature books, then this will be a fun read for you.
I was hooked from the very first line of the very first page until the very end. I was ready to keep reading and suddenly I was in the acknowledgments.
In this book we get to follow Naomi as she becomes obsessed with her boyfriend, Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary. As we follow Naomi's dark descent, we get to see just how similar and how different these two women are. We also get to follow different stages of the writing industry (Naomi is a bookseller and writer and Rosemary is an editor).
How far are writers willing to go for novel inspiration? When "write what you know" is the norm, how much of the fiction we read is based on real-life events and people? Can love truly conquer all, even an obsession? How much of the past do we hold onto even though we claim to have moved on? These are all questions that Barasch explores in her debut novel.

**CONTENT WARNINGS for sexual assault and rape, cancer, and infertility

This book will suck you in immediately and not stop until the last page! I loved it so much and am still thinking about it, days later. I wish I could go read it all again right this instant (and maybe I will?). It's voyeuristic and shocking at times but you also just understand Naomi so much or at least I did. I couldn't stop reading to know what would happen and I wasn't disappointed, which is so rare. Without giving anything away, I will say read this and read it soon because it will be popping up everywhere I think!!

This book will make you feel so good. A Novel Obsession comes out next week on March 15, 2021, you can purchase HERE, and I hope you consider reading this one! Definitely my favorite book of the year, so far!

I wanted to know if she boarded her flight to the UK wit the same naïve hopes I had when I flew to study abroad in Australia—irrevocable change, upheaval, a story worthy of being told.

Admit it- you've looked up the ex on social media. That's nothing but Naomi, a 24 year old in her first real relationship with Caleb goes down the rabbit hole- deep down the rabbit hole- with Rosemary. Social media is one thing but then Naomi is stalking Rosemary in real life, creating a spot for a relationship. Naomi works in a bookstore, Rosemary is an editor so it seems natural enough to Rosemary when Naomi asks her to read some of her writing. Naomi has been documenting their encounters- how creepy is that- and reimagining her relationship with Caleb. No spoilers from me but know that this doesn't sail down into murder but it's still disturbing. I liked the meta aspect, disliked Naomi (who has darkness in her background and has made bad decisions in the past), and felt for Rosemary. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A nice debut and a good read.

As Compulsively Readable as a Diary

#NetGalley #ANovelObsession
“A Novel Obsession” perfectly captures the aspiring, literary lust one can have in their twenties, the self-loathing and insecurity, and the fear of revealing your self to others, particularly if you don’t yet know who that self is.

Girl meets boy, girl meets boy’s ex-girlfriend, girl befriends boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend under false pretenses, girl becomes obsessed with boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, girl spirals out of control. Girl discovers whether or not there is more to her story than her own worst behavior.

I was impressed with this debut about a writer who becomes obsessed with, and then befriends, her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend. I enjoyed the evolution of Naomi and Rosemary's relationship and the tension written into it. I kept wondering if Rosemary knew who Naomi really was and how their relationship would play out. Interspersed with their relationship are flashbacks from Naomi's younger years that explain her trauma that has played into the reasons she makes the decision she does.

Overall, I found this one to be a page-turner, and I think it will make a great addition to the summer reading lineup this year. It's one you could read in one sitting, the story propelling you forward.

I think you will either love this book or hate it. I for one absolutely LOVED it! I love a book with an unhinged protagonists. I devoured this book. It was MY obsession. 😅

Naomi, is a writer who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. She tracks her down and befriends her under false pretenses, justifying it to herself as research for a novel she’ll write.

You can tell from the first chapter that there is something a bit off about Naomi Ackerman. She makes very terrible decisions as the plot unfolds. I was constantly waiting for her to be caught, leaving me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. As the novel hurtles to an ending that you can't help but feel dread.

I think this is one of those books that's a master class in making terrible choices. We're given a front row view as our protagonist Naomi, a twenty-something New Yorker and aspiring writer, insinuates herself into the life of her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend Rosemary, and it's a flinching, cringing, head-shaking roller coaster of a ride as she stalks and befriends this poor woman under false pretenses while lying to her boyfriend about what she's been doing. As a premise, it's certainly one that's difficult to warm to. But it also gives us nothing to root for. The only thing we really learn about Naomi is that she's pathologically insecure, and none of the characters felt authentic or even worth getting to know.

This is not my usual fare, but I was looking for something light and enjoyable and easy to read and thought it might fit the bill. Unfortunately, I should have gone with my gut...

What sounded cute in the premise turned creepy very fast, and I couldn't relate to the protagonist in her obsessive stalking of the ex-girlfriend. I expected madcap, a kind of I Love Lucy sitcom pastiche of "obsessing" - instead it felt like actual, disturbing obsession which I found distressing and not at all enjoyable to read.

I think I'm just the wrong audience for this one and was not able to finish...

Thank you for the advance reader copy. Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I understood the premise of the book but felt like the fascination with the ex-girlfriend was too much. I was looking for more character development as I wanted to feel invested in the characters and that did not happen. I also felt that there needed to be a clearer plot line. I am sure this book will be for some people but unfortunately it was not for me.